Just thinking about the upcoming draft and how its prospect project into Spagnuolo’s defensive scheme and decided to give my top 5 at every defensive position of the prospect that I feel has the skill sets that suit what Spags wants to do on defense.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE
1. Star Lotulelei, Utah
Complete package, can shut down the run as well as rush the passer… physical freak.

2. Jonathan Hankins, Ohio State
Similar to Lotulelei but I have my concerns about his conditioning.

3. Sheldon Richardson, Missouri
May be the most disruptive of the bunch, versatile enough to play LE in a pinch.

4. Kawann Short, Purdue
Can play either NT or DT in 43 front, may be the drafts best interior pass rusher.

5. Sylvester Williams, North Carolina
Potential is through the roof, is inconsistent but when he’s on he might be the best of the bunch.

DEFENSIVE END
1. Bjoern Werner, Florida State
Best 43 defensive end in the draft. Has the size and power to set the edge in the running game and the speed and burst to threaten the edge in passing situations.

2. Sam Montgomery, Louisiana State
2nd best pure 43 defensive end behind Werner. Has the size, power and motor to become one of league’s top players at his position in time.

3. Demontre Moore, Texas A&M
The best edge pass rusher in the draft, serious questions about how he would hold up in run game in a 43 front on the NFL level though.

4. Tank Carradine, Florida State
Possesses NFL body for a 43 defensive end with surprising burst and speed. Still raw but has potential to be best of this group in time.

5. Ziggy Ansah, BYU
Classic boom or bust prospect. Possesses skill set and size similar to Jason Pierre Paul but is extremely raw and will take time to develop.

LINEBACKER
1. Jarvis Jones, Georgia
Plays in a 34 defense at Georgia but has the athletic ability and skill set to succeed in any NFL defensive scheme.

2. CJ Mosley, Alabama
An undersized inside linebacker in Alabama’s 34 defense. Mosley has elite speed and is a violent hitter whose true NFL position will likely be on the outside in a 43 defense.

3. Manti Te’o, Notre Dame
One of the drafts best overall defenders but strictly a inside prospect in Spags scheme which limits his overall value to the Saints. However, Te’o has the skill set and leadership qualities of a prospect you build a defense around.

4. Kevin Minter, Louisiana State
The most unheralded potential prospect on this list. Minter is an elite linebacker prospect that can play all three linebacker positions in a 43 defense.

5. Kevin Reddick, North Carolina
Reddick is similar to Minter and may be a better overall athlete but does not possess the elite instincts that separates Minter. Still a solid 43 prospect though.

CORNER BACK
1. Dee Milliner, Alabama
Big physical cover corner that has been well schooled by one of the best defensive back coaches in the busniess in Nick Saban.

2. Jonathan Banks, Mississippi State
Not as polished as Milliner and takes to many chances at times but is still the drafts 2nd best corner prospect.

3. Jordan Poyer, Oregon State
Underrated defensive prospect, Poyer has been well coached by Mike Riley and has a surprising skill set and athletic makeup for the position.

4. Xavier Rhodes, Florida State
Great size and physicality for the position but gets lost in coverage at times. Not a day one starter right now but has potential to be one.

5. Terry Hawthorne, Illinois
Has tremendous athletic ability and a physical nature, still raw as a corner but has potential to rank higher on this list.

SAFETY
1. Matt Elam, Florida
Fast, physical and intimidating. The only knock on Elam is his height (5’10”) but other NFL safeties have proven that height is a non factor at the position… Elam is a playmaker!

2. Eric Reid, Louisiana State
Has prototypical size for the position but gets lost in coverage often and could be the most overrated player in the draft. Still a solid prospect although I wouldn’t touch him inside the top 20 picks.

3. Tony Jefferson, Oklahoma
Ball hawk, plain and simple! Jefferson fly’s around the Oklahoma secondary and makes plays all over the field. Is limited somewhat athletically but he’s a football player.

4. Kenny Vaccaro, Texas
A fringe 1st round prospect in my opinion who has NFL talent but his game film leaves a lot to be desired.

5. Robert Lester, Alabama
Is not the athlete the others are but has great instincts and ball skills. Is a smart football player and is always in position to make a play. Once again, another well coached Nick Saban defensive back.

Hankins has no conditioning issues. Those were addressed his freshman and sophomore years, then added even more conditioning with Meyer as HC. He rarely if ever comes off the field.

Moore is playing in the 4-3 right now and has been dominating as a pass rusher and still has 69 tackles, 48 solo, with 19 TFL and 11.5 sacks, tied for the lead in FBS.

Teo might be limited to play inside but Lofton can play outside and I think Te'o has the leadership ability that if he's there and we are picking middle 1st with no pass rusher, we go for him.

Also I'm not that high on Mosley or Jones for this scheme. If you're going to draft a pass rusher Spags likes them coming from the DL, not from the linebackers so he would be wasted in that aspect with Jones and Mosley I just don't think he worth the spot he'll be picked and put both behind Te'o due to those factors.

Add Desmond Trufant onto your CB list. Dude has been a shutdown corner this season and therefore not getting stats cuz QBs are just looking away from him.

Hankins has no conditioning issues. Those were addressed his freshman and sophomore years, then added even more conditioning with Meyer as HC. He rarely if ever comes off the field.

Moore is playing in the 4-3 right now and has been dominating as a pass rusher and still has 69 tackles, 48 solo, with 19 TFL and 11.5 sacks, tied for the lead in FBS.

Teo might be limited to play inside but Lofton can play outside and I think Te'o has the leadership ability that if he's there and we are picking middle 1st with no pass rusher, we go for him.

Also I'm not that high on Mosley or Jones for this scheme. If you're going to draft a pass rusher Spags likes them coming from the DL, not from the linebackers so he would be wasted in that aspect with Jones and Mosley I just don't think he worth the spot he'll be picked and put both behind Te'o due to those factors.

Add Desmond Trufant onto your CB list. Dude has been a shutdown corner this season and therefore not getting stats cuz QBs are just looking away from him.

I'll take Reid over Elam easy. Elam makes a lot of stupid penalties with late/illegal hits and being overaggressive. Great playmaker, but also give up a lot of big plays.

I knew I was gonna have to answer to you about my Hankins comment...

I do feel he's over his conditioning problem but the fact is that there was one. I fear money in the bank as a high draft pick could make him fall back to his old ways. I still have Hankins VERY high on my board but at DT I take Lotulelei over Hankins because of the nonissue with conditioning. Big Hank is still in my top 10 overall though.

Moore is playing lights out right now but setting the edge in the running game in college does not compare to doing in in the NFL. His 250 lb frame would need to add bulk or teams will just run right at him in the NFL. Yes he's setting himself apart in the college game but it will be a different story as a defensive end in a 43 front on the NFL level.

I like Trufant, just not in my top 5.

I'd rather have Elams physicality than Reids range. Elam makes more splash plays and is more discpline in coverage. His aggressive nature can be toned in the NFL quicker than Reids lapse's in coverage.

The bottom line on Te'o is if the Saints are truly drafting the BPA come April and Te'o is on the board then they need to take him then figure it out later on how to make it work._________________

I might be on a isle all alone as a Saints fan that believes Will Smith will restructure and reture in 2013 as our starting RDE but I honeslty believe it will happen.

The Saints have a pretty good set of edge rushers in Galette aand Wilson an they will only get better (especially Wilson).

The Saints will most likley look for a understudy for Smith who kinda plays with the same type of game... I feel they will look for a better interior pass rush early in round 1 but a player that keeps standing out to be as a potential understudy to Smith is Ohio State DE John Simon.

I know he dosent blow anyone away with his athletic ability but this guy is powerful and plays with great tecnique and leverage like Smith. Both being Ohio State guys also gives it a lil connection there. Simon could very well be one of the most underrated defensive prospects Ive studied so far...

As a Ohio State fan, what can you tell me about Simon I might not know... Whats your take on him?_________________

Hankins had conditioning problems in HS. Tressel told Hankins that if he wanted an Ohio State Scholarship he ahd to drop from over 400 lbs to 360. He did that. Then he went from 360 to 330 from Freshman to Sophomore year where he started playing over half the snaps and that's with the interim coaching staff that really didn't do much. Now with Meyer and Mariotti they have him down to about 315-320, playing every down and hes' wanting to compete. The issue was that he never had a reason to get down in HS because even at 400 lbs he was more athletic and moved better than a lot of the RBs he was facing. Once he was given goals he succeeded. Also a fat paycheck can be kept from someone for being fat. Hollis Thomas had a contract that stipulated he had to weight so much at all times, so the precedence has been set by the Saints before.

He's setting the edge in the SEC. With how you guys takl about the SEC that should be good enough. Yes he's 250 but a lot of very good DE's are 250 and set the edge just fine. Now I do prefer Werner first and foremost like you, but I definitely feel Moore is the #2 option at DE without thinking twice.

Trufant I think is a Revis/Nnamdi type CB so I would probably take him pretty high.

Elam is physical, awesome, but he also misses a lot of big plays, probably as many as he makes. We already have Roman Harper. I'd rather just sign Kenny Phillips as a FA who we know works well in Spags defense.

Like I said with Te'o, if we are picking at say #13, I expect both DTs gone, both Werner and Moore gone, and likely Montgomery too, and Jones as well which you are high on. That point Te'o is BPA and that's a guy I feel has the leadership and physical nature of Ray Lewis. Put him next to Lofton and another OLB and we are good._________________
2013 Adopt-A-Saint
TE Jimmy Graham-86 rec, 1215 yds, 16 TDs
WR Kenny Still-34 rec, 641 yds, 5 TDs

I might be on a isle all alone as a Saints fan that believes Will Smith will restructure and reture in 2013 as our starting RDE but I honeslty believe it will happen.

The Saints have a pretty good set of edge rushers in Galette aand Wilson an they will only get better (especially Wilson).

The Saints will most likley look for a understudy for Smith who kinda plays with the same type of game... I feel they will look for a better interior pass rush early in round 1 but a player that keeps standing out to be as a potential understudy to Smith is Ohio State DE John Simon.

I know he dosent blow anyone away with his athletic ability but this guy is powerful and plays with great tecnique and leverage like Smith. Both being Ohio State guys also gives it a lil connection there. Simon could very well be one of the most underrated defensive prospects Ive studied so far...

As a Ohio State fan, what can you tell me about Simon I might not know... Whats your take on him?

Motor, Motor, Motor. Like Kerrigan and Watt the guy just doesn't stop. He doesn't have a great athleticism but his first step is good enough, for a 3rd rounder, he has great technique is a gym rat who is ridiculously strong, might hit 40-50 at the combine, he is a guy that is a phenomenal leader that leads by example and will also call people out. His stats aren't the greatest because much like Hankins, he constantly gets double teamed. If you watch teams play against Ohio State they normally double both Hankins and Simon and keep a RB or TE to help out with the rest of the DL or they use quick screens to offset Ohio State's DL.

He's a good player but not going to be someone that lights it up year in and year out. I think he would actually be best suited playing the Tuck role able to move inside and out._________________
2013 Adopt-A-Saint
TE Jimmy Graham-86 rec, 1215 yds, 16 TDs
WR Kenny Still-34 rec, 641 yds, 5 TDs

I might be on a isle all alone as a Saints fan that believes Will Smith will restructure and reture in 2013 as our starting RDE but I honeslty believe it will happen.

The Saints have a pretty good set of edge rushers in Galette aand Wilson an they will only get better (especially Wilson).

The Saints will most likley look for a understudy for Smith who kinda plays with the same type of game... I feel they will look for a better interior pass rush early in round 1 but a player that keeps standing out to be as a potential understudy to Smith is Ohio State DE John Simon.

I know he dosent blow anyone away with his athletic ability but this guy is powerful and plays with great tecnique and leverage like Smith. Both being Ohio State guys also gives it a lil connection there. Simon could very well be one of the most underrated defensive prospects Ive studied so far...

As a Ohio State fan, what can you tell me about Simon I might not know... Whats your take on him?

Motor, Motor, Motor. Like Kerrigan and Watt the guy just doesn't stop. He doesn't have a great athleticism but his first step is good enough, for a 3rd rounder, he has great technique is a gym rat who is ridiculously strong, might hit 40-50 at the combine, he is a guy that is a phenomenal leader that leads by example and will also call people out. His stats aren't the greatest because much like Hankins, he constantly gets double teamed. If you watch teams play against Ohio State they normally double both Hankins and Simon and keep a RB or TE to help out with the rest of the DL or they use quick screens to offset Ohio State's DL.

He's a good player but not going to be someone that lights it up year in and year out. I think he would actually be best suited playing the Tuck role able to move inside and out.

Sounds like a Micky Loomis and Sean Payton kinda guy!

The more I watch him the more he's becoming one of my draft favorites.

I'd love to see the Saints land a interior pass rushing DT in round one and Simon in the 3rd. He just seems like the kinda player like Jared Allen that 3 years from now people are going to be saying "I cant believe he fell out of the first round!"_________________

Safety is a much bigger need, than we are actually saying. Not just because of the poor play by both Jenkins and Harper this year, but Spags likes to bring in 3 safeties and use on in the box. I felt like Quddus played a lot against the eagles and a third starting caliber safety would help this team. Bring in the best defensive linemen in the first round and draft a McDonald, Vaccarro, Rambo or maybe even Reid if he falls to the second round.

Edit: What about some former spags guys? Kenny Philips and Darian Stewart are free agents this year, right?

Safety is a much bigger need, than we are actually saying. Not just because of the poor play by both Jenkins and Harper this year, but Spags likes to bring in 3 safeties and use on in the box. I felt like Quddus played a lot against the eagles and a third starting caliber safety would help this team. Bring in the best defensive linemen in the first round and draft a McDonald, Vaccarro, Rambo or maybe even Reid if he falls to the second round.

Edit: What about some former spags guys? Kenny Philips and Darian Stewart are free agents this year, right?

Based on where were picking... (15-25) I could honestly see a safety being selected. It wouldent suprise me at all. Elam, Reid and Jefferson could all be in play. Spags uses 3 safetys in a rotation and while Quddus seems to be a better fit than Harper... I think hes better as the rotational safety._________________

Did you just compare Matt Elam to Roman Harper? That's such a miserable comparison. Elam is a SS, that's the only thing they have in common

True dat!

People can call me nuts if they want but Matt Elam is now in my top 20 overall prospects and #1 safety.

Honestly, they're polar opposites. Matt Elam is a tweener safety. He can come up into the box and lay the wood but he has more than enough coverage ability to drop back into a deep zone, not to mention he has incredible instincts. The only issue he's going to face is as a SS, he doesn't have the size to man up with TEs. I also have him as the #1 safety in this class and he is in NO way comparable to Roman Harper, who is as one-dimensional as they come._________________
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